The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1887-06-10
Friday ~ uuneI0,' 1887.
The Roads.

statesmen have been called on
to tackle. Ten thousand dollars
was the limit of expenditure marked
out by the commissioners, when they
ADVERTISED for proposals. We pub.
lish a statement elsewhere which
shows that the bidders far exceeded
this sum and the commits
sioners refused the whole batch
in disgust it Is probable. The
bidders wanted about $4,000 to pay
for the time they proposed to spend
on the highways and the doughty
board of county commissioners, de-
termined to throw over board the
whole lot, and take the matter of
road men@ing into their own hands;
or rather place it under their imme
diate supervision. This is taking
the bull by the horns, and they seem
determined to down taurus or demon
strate to their constituents that the
beast can't be thrown. We commend
the commissioners for their pluck,
and wish them entire success. Aft
er weighing the weighty subject of
the finances in one hand and the
roads in the other they very reluct-
antly we presume-fnally determin.
ed that $4,000 was little too light
for our muddy and stoney roads and
they drew the line at $4,000 over
which they took a solemn oath-at
least we suppose they did-not to
60 or allow any other one in the
road business to go.
We notice also that the commas.
toner's reaffirmed their resolution to
stand by their first love in the little
Irritation with the supervisors in this
end OF the county whose claims for
road mending have been neglected.
ii Well it's the same old story that
we have been hearing since we were
a little fodder, Every board of
county commissioners 60 out of of
flee amidst chorus of curses from a
large minority, if indeed it isn't q
small majority of their constituents,
fwho declare the last board is always
the most veritable asses that ever
occupied the responsible position of
county commissioners. Our Obser-
walton, however, leads us to the
conclusion that the commissioners
are always verv fair average in
point of intelligence, ability and
qualification for the duties of the Of
e, nee, of the most respectable portion
90f the community, and having learn
red good deal about the county bus.
4iness during their first term should
0be reelected in order that the public
might profit by the experience they
have gained. But in place of pursu.
yiinpaI this business-like course the
4 htaasgd is hurled out after one term
tCaBdia set of new men tried to repeat
DtAe Same unsatisfactory administra-
! tti5oSno
aIttThiis thing has been repeating it's
sseff to our certain knowledge for the
rdast fifty years. How much longer
'Ne do not know, and the roads are
no better, no worse than they were
away back and all along down
slthrSagh these years.
00HEhs people have been intent all
the time on compelling the commiss-
toner's to make ''silk purse out of
s6*'s ear" but they never have &C.
8conplished it, and never can.
-" Il is.not the fault of the county
commissioners that the roads are al
II waysoi bad. 1t is the fault of the
usyateae which is radically wrong. Our
9sndad la'6s have been changed and
ALTERED" several times, but the same
Faulty system has been steadily ad
aahlisedrfed to; and whether the expendi
1tpFe sis great or small the roads have
srneyersheen, and never will be, any
ybetter o,while it is retained. Ter
lthopsand dollars or less year will
slkeeplthe. roads in as good order al
-they Es6ally have been, and every
whit as good as twenty thousand ex